The hybrid Toyota Tacoma is far better than the V6-powered version

When an automaker decides to downsize engines to meet emissions standards, car enthusiasts who will miss the visceral sound of a rumbly V8 are often rather upset – and we empathize. In the case of the 2024 Toyota Tacoma, however, we say good riddance to the outgoing truck’s gutless V6; if you haven’t checked up on Toyota’s mid-size truck in the past year, you may have missed that the fourth-generation model now uses a turbocharged inline-four in favor of a normally aspirated four- or six-cylinder.

CarBuzz has already driven the gas-only Tacoma, but we were recently given a chance to sample the available i-Force Max hybrid powertrain at a Toyota event in San Diego. This event was also our first chance to drive the Land Cruiser, Camry, and Crown Signia, so our time in the Taco Hybrid was somewhat limited and restricted to off-roading. It may have been brief, but we have a decent grasp of the i-Force Max and whether it’s worth your hard-earned cash.

Powertrain: Out-muscling The Competition

If you want the most potent Tacoma on sale for 2024, it’ll be the hybrid version. The base engine is a 2.4-liter turbo-four that makes just 228 horsepower and 243 lb-ft of torque in the entry-level model. Above the base trim, however, outputs increase. All configurations are more fuel efficient, and the hybrid i-Force Max hybrid setup is well and truly powerful. Here’s how the 2023 lineup compares to the new Tacoma range:

Although the outgoing V6 matches the new four-cylinder on horsepower higher up in the range, it only developed 265 lb-ft of torque, making it feel sluggish in highway passing situations. It also chugged fuel much more greedily. Not only does the new four-cylinder match the old V6 on power and best it on torque, it also yields superior fuel economy.

Opting for the i-Force Max hybrid setup adds a 48-hp electric motor and 1.87 kWh battery mounted in the transmission to the turbocharged four-pot. The motor helps contribute to the overall performance, resulting in 326 hp (323 hp in the Trailhunter trim) and a seismic 465 lb-ft of torque – the best in the mid-size truck class. Only the twin-turbo V6 Ford Range Raptor produces more horsepower in the segment, and nothing outclasses the Tacoma in torque. In addition to being the most powerful Tacoma powertrain, the hybrid is also the most efficient, rated at 22/24/23 mpg city/highway/combined in most trims (up to 23/24/24 in the Limited).

Unfortunately, though the i-Force Max leads the Tacoma lineup in torque, it’s not all that useful for truck tasks such as towing. A hybrid Tacoma can tow 5,950 to 6,000 pounds depending on the configuration, which is slightly below a comparable 4×4 gas-only Double Cab model, rated at 6,400 pounds. It’s not a substantial drop, but some truck buyers may be deterred from buying the i-Force Max based on this information.

Driving Impressions: Three Off-Road Flavors

During our time in San Diego, we had the chance to sample three Tacoma grades with the i-Force Max powertrain: the TRD Off-Road, the TRD Pro, and the Trailhunter.

• 

  
  2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road
  

  TRD Off Road

  Stabilizer Disconnect

  Available

  Locking Rear Differential

  Standard

  Tires

  33-inch Falken WildPeak A/T

  Suspension

  Bilstein Remote Reservoir

• 

  
  2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
  

  TRD Pro

  Stabilizer Disconnect

  Standard

  Locking Rear Differential

  Standard

  Tires

  33-inch Goodyear Territory R/T

  Suspension

  Fox QS3 adjustable internal bypass coil-overs, rear remote reservoir with 1-inch front lift and 0.5-inch rear lift

• 

  
  2024 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter
  

  Trailhunter

  Stabilizer Disconnect

  Standard

  Locking Rear Differential

  Standard

  Tires

  33-inch Goodyear Territory R/T

  Suspension

  Old Man Emu forged monotube position-sensitive coil-overs and rear remote reservoir with 1-inch front lift and 0.5-inch rear lift

We’ll start with the TRD Off-Road because it’s the most reasonably priced of the bunch, and it offers more capability than most truck owners will ever use. Toyota let us loose on a motocross track, flexing the TRD Off-Road’s Bilstein remote reservoir shocks. This course was far from grueling, but it proved that even the most attainable Tacoma off-road variant is pretty fun.

The TRD Off-Road rides on 33-inch Falken WildPeak all-terrain tires, which provide plenty of grip on the dirt. We left the truck in four-wheel high mode for the whole drive, and never felt the need to engage the available Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism (SDM), which comes standard on the TRD Pro and Trailhunter.

This first introduction to the i-Force Max gave us some early impressions of the powertrain; it feels punchy even at low RPMs and the whoosh from the turbocharger sounds more interesting than any noises the old V6 used to make. The eight-speed automatic is also a huge improvement over the outgoing six-speed, allowing the engine to put down power more smoothly without feeling like it’s gasping for a new ratio.

The Trailhunter Has Arrived

Stepping into the new Trailhunter trim, Toyota had a slightly more challenging off-road course prepared. This gave us a better opportunity to test the Trailhunter, a new grade that sits just below but is nearly on-par with the well-loved TRD Pro. Though they are similar in some respects, the Trailhunter delivers a different flavor of off-road performance. Whereas the TRD Pro is purpose-built to tackle deserts at high speeds, the Trailhunter feels more comfortable plodding along slowly with a bed full of camping equipment.

To put the Trailhunter to the test, Toyota had us climb up a rock bed in four-wheel low with the rear differential locked and the SDM activated. This gave us the chance to see the Trailhunter’s tremendous climbing capability and wheel articulation. We activated Crawl Control, a low-speed cruise control that can go up or downhill on its own. For novice off-roaders, the Tacoma can essentially get itself through a trail without you touching the throttle or the brakes.

Toyota knows the off-road truck segment is booming, so it has room to offer two similar yet unique Tacoma flagship models. Unlike the TRD Pro, which is only available with a five-foot bed, the Trailhunter offers an optional six-foot bed for owners who plan to pack a lot of stuff before they tackle a trail. The Trailhunter rides on 33-inch Goodyear Territory Rugged-Terrain tires, the same as the TRD Pro, but those tires come wrapped around 18-inch bronze wheels that provide a more premium look and feel.

The Trailhunter also differs in terms of suspension. It uses Old Man Emu forged monotube shocks, which are designed to softly compress even with a full payload. Toyota says it noticed that many owners wanted to take their TRD Pro camping with lots of stuff in the bed, a task the high-speed off-roader wasn’t designed for specifically. If this sounds like the type of activity you enjoy with your truck, the Trailhunter might be the superior option over the TRD Pro.

These two trucks have different flavors inside as well. The Trailhunter includes a gray SofTex interior with yellow accents, a combination we find to me more mature than what’s found in the TRD Pro.

TRD Pro Gets More Extreme

After some time behind the wheel, we concluded that the TRD Off Road is likely the best off-road package for the majority of buyers and the Trailhunter may secretly be the most capable for the type of trails that most people tackle. So, where does that leave the TRD Pro? It may not be a do-everything multi-tool like the previous generation, but the addition of the Trailhunter has allowed Toyota to hone in on the TRD Pro and make it more extreme than ever before.

Fox QS3 adjustable shocks with rear remote reservoirs deliver a comfortable ride while tackling terrain at high speeds; the shocks feature three settings for on-road use, off-roading, and extreme off-roading, changing the firmness and rebound to suit the specific task. Toyota tuned the shocks to the second setting, preparing them for the highest-speed off-road course of the day.

The suspension does a great job keeping the truck level when going around quick bends, and cushioning occupants from big impacts. We got to take the TRD Pro over a jump, getting all four wheels airborne before returning brutally back to Earth. Even in this scenario, the Tacoma isn’t a back-breaker.

In addition to the advanced suspension, the TRD Pro is the only Tacoma grade to get Toyota’s new IsoDynamic Performance front seats. These seats are unlike anything we’ve ever sampled in a truck, using air-over-oil shock absorbers to control lateral seat movement and stop front occupants from moving around as much while off-roading. The movement is less noticeable than the air ride seat in a semi truck, but we could definitely feel the shocks doing their thing as the truck leaned into the corners.

Though the seats are a neat touch, they do come with numerous downsides. Firstly, the shocks on the seat backs take up a noticeable amount of space, severely hurting rear legroom and almost turning the Tacoma into a two-seater. You also lose the ability to recline, making the IsoDynamic Performance seats less comfortable depending on your preferred seating position. We hope Toyota makes these seats optional for buyers who want a TRD Pro without the compromise.

Pricing & Trims: How Can You Get The Hybrid?

The main takeaway after our time in San Diego was the brilliance of the hybrid powertrain. It’s powerful and smooth, and only adds to the off-roading experience. However, the i-Force Max engine is not available on every Tacoma grade. It’s available on the core models, and standard on the flagship variants. You can opt for the hybrid on the TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road, and Limited, adding $3,700 to the price, when adjusting for body configuration and limiting all three to four-wheel-drive with a five-foot bed.

The TRD Sport and TRD Off-Road are similarly-priced at $46,300 and $46,600, respectively, while the Limited i-Force Max costs $55,800. Alternatively, the TRD Pro and newly-introduced Trailhunter grades are only sold with i-Force Max, priced at $63,900 and $62,900 ($63,400 with a six-foot bed), respectively.

Is the i-Force Max worth the $3,700 premium? If you treat the hybrid solely as a performance option, it’s a significant amount of money – but it does put the Tacoma in the upper echelon of mid-size truck performance. If you are only purchasing the i-Force Max for its superior fuel economy, you may need to work the figures to see if its worthwhile over the standard engine. Assuming 15,000 miles per year annually and a fuel cost of $3.38 per gallon, the hybrid will save approximately $210 per year compared to the gas-only Tacoma. In this scenario, the i-Force Max would not earn back its premium even after 10 years. Your driving habits may differ, but it’s difficult to see the i-Force Max as purely as an efficiency play.

Much like its larger sibling, the Tundra hybrid, the Tacoma i-Force Max is positioned for buyers who want the most performance with the best possible fuel efficiency. It may not be necessary for every truck owner, but we are happy to see Toyota innovate with proven technology. The idea of a hybrid pickup may sound blasphemous to traditionalist truck owners, but we promise you won’t be disappointed if you give it a try.

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